Al Waha Shisha Tobacco - Featured Hookah Tobacco

By Grabertrain / August 5, 2010

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A recent restocking of our Al Waha Shisha Tobacco got me thinking that it really deserves some props. The name Al Waha is actually Arabic for “the oasis,” even though in our post Shisha shisha everywhere, which one do I smoke?, Christopher jokingly said it was Arabic for “the Waha,” a subtle nod to this guy (if you’re old enough to remember that SNL skit, I salute you). Al Waha was actually one of the first hookah tobacco brands available in North America and has been enjoyed in the Middle East for decades. Al Waha is a great tobacco for novice hookah smokers (or “noobs”) because of its affordable price and not-too-strong yet still piquant flavors. Many hookah smokers (such as myself) started off with Al Waha and then graduated to stronger brands once they got the hang of it. The general consensus here is, because of its affordable price, Al Waha is the perfect “mixer” brand. Now don’t get me wrong, Al Waha is a good shisha to smoke by itself, and some flavors (namely orange cream and apple strawberry) actually taste better than their more pricey counterparts. Being a Jordanian hookah tobacco, it has what they call a “traditional cut,” meaning that you’ll find a few stems here or there that can be easily picked out. It is also marinated with honey as opposed to molasses, which gives it that sweet “twang.” Al Waha’s flavors are generally geared towards the traditional, but they have recently come out with more modern flavors. Here I present some of Al Waha’s most popular and unique flavors, which can either be enjoyed by themselves or, more popularly, mixed with other flavors and brands to make any number of custom blends:

Khaki: No, this flavor doesn’t taste like pants. The word “khaki” in this sense is an alternate spelling of kaki, also known as the Japanese persimmon, a sweet and slightly tangy edible fruit which became popular in the Middle East after its western migration. The flavor is mild yet herb-y, and is a nice smoke compliment to a cup of hot green tea.

Bounty: If you’ve ever eaten a Mounds candy bar, then you’re probably familiar with the taste of Bounty – a thick coconut taste wrapped in a (figurative) chocolate shell. I’ve mentioned before that Coconut is a love-it-or-hate-it flavor, so if you’re a coconut shisha virgin, you may want to pick up a 50g box to try first.

Memories: Like the corners of my mind (now you have to be really old to catch that one), this flavor is an earthy lemon tea taste with a minty twist. Again this is a great flavor to smoke while drinking hot tea, or you can mix it with a strong cherry flavor to make a spicy punch drink shisha.

5 Star: This is a mish-mash of different fruit flavors that tickles the tongue. It’s difficult to pinpoint what the exact fruits are that make up this flavor, but don’t let that stop you from trying (the last time I smoked this, I could have sworn I tasted kiwi towards the end).

Fig: This is another flavor that’s hard to peg down. While the fig is a major food staple in Asia and Europe, most North Americans don’t know what a fig tastes like outside of its “Newton” cradle. From personal experience, I'd say that Al Waha Fig tastes like a bowl of apple and pear slices slathered in honey.

California Dream: This hookah tobacco consists of a mixture of pineapple, orange, and cherry flavors, and all the leaves are brown.

After 9: You’re supposed to smoke this one hour after eating these (ha!). Like the confectionaries that the taste is modeled after, After 9 is a chocolate mint flavor that makes the perfect after-dinner smoke (for those that have rather late dinners, apparently). Happy Smoking!